


Broken

by Angelwithwingsoffire



Series: Sterek One Shots [13]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Helps Stiles, M/M, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Stiles is broken, trying a new style of writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 10:43:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1301998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithwingsoffire/pseuds/Angelwithwingsoffire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is broken after the nogitsune breaks him as it leaves him. The pack is worried sick about him and then Derek comes back. And things start to get better again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning I suck at endings soooo sorry

Stiles slapped his alarm clock with a groan.

“Stiles?” His dad’s voice came from the door.

Stiles just answered with a groan.

“Are you going to go today?”

Stiles gave a negative sounding grunt.

“Alright. Well call me if you need anything, okay?”

Stiles gave a positive sounding grunt.

His dad left and went to work.

Stiles lay in bed. His phone rang and he glanced at it, but it was Scott’s ringtone. Scott won’t hold it against him. None of them will. They all come to see him after school when he can’t make it there. He knows they’ll try and make him do something, like eat or drink, but he usually doesn’t. The only time he does is when Isaac begs him. Even now he has a harder time ignoring Isaac than anyone.

He rolled on to his back and looked up at his ceiling. He’d counted the dots up there thousands of times and now he began again.

Hours later as he reached ten thousand dots he heard the front door open. He sighed and rolled on to his stomach, praying for his luck to be nice and let them leave him alone. But he had no such luck as his door opened and the pack walked in. Scott took his usual spot sitting on the bed by Stiles’s head with Isaac sitting between his legs and leaning back against him. Allison and Lydia sat together on the foot of the bed and Aiden stood behind them. Ethan and Danny sat together in the chair they’d put there for the people that sat with Stiles.

“Stiles?” Scott whispered. “We know you’re awake.”

Stiles just grunted back at him.

“Sweetie we missed you today.” Lydia said softly.

“Stiles did you eat today?” Isaac asked.

Stiles didn’t answer. They all knew what that meant.

Danny got up in silence and went downstairs. Everyone sat in silence until he came back with a glass of water and a piece of ham. Everyone, including Stiles, knew that the water was filled the powder the doctor gave him to drink on days he can’t eat.

“Stiles you need to eat.” Danny whispered, handing the stuff to Isaac.

“Please Stiles.” Isaac begged. “I can’t lose you. I need you to stay with us. Even like this you’re needed. I need you here to be my anchor. Please Stiles. Please eat.”

Stiles groaned but turned onto his back and held out a hand. Isaac handed him the ham and Stiles scarfed it down, wincing and making a face at the taste and his face screwed up in pain when he swallowed. But he just held out his hand again and Isaac handed him the glass. He sat up enough to down it, again wincing at the pain when he swallowed, and then handed the glass back. He rolled back onto his stomach and was still.

“Thank you Stiles.” Isaac whispered, his voice sad. Scott whimpered at the sadness in his voice and rubbed his mate’s arms but he knew he couldn’t do anything to relieve that pain.

Stiles just grunted.

Scott looked up at a sound and then the other wolves perked up when they heard it to.

“What is it?” Allison asked.

“Wait up here.” Scott said, slipping out from behind Isaac. “I’ll just be downstairs.” Scott slipped out and went downstairs. He opened the front door to Derek, standing there with his hand raised to knock.

“You’re late.” Scott said.

Derek ducked his head. “Sorry. I’ve been sorta lost.”

They both heard sharp intakes of breath from upstairs as the pack recognized his voice.

“We all have.” Scott answered. “Come on in. I’ll catch you up. Everyone else is upstairs with Stiles.”

“What’s happened to him?” Derek asked, following Scott into the living room.

Scott sighed as they sat down. “After the nogistune he was broke. He has nightmares all the time about what he did when he was possessed. The people he killed. Trying to kill us and the pack. He remembers every second of it. He was shattered by it all. He doesn’t eat much anymore. Isaac has to beg him to eat most days. And even then it’s something tiny and then downing the glass of enhanced water that is pretty much the only thing keeping him alive. He weighed eighty pounds last time he was weighed and is probably even less now. He hasn’t gone to school in two weeks. He doesn’t talk anymore. Hardly at all. I haven’t heard his voice in almost a week. He can’t even manage to get out of bed most days without someone there to help him get up to use the bathroom. He hasn’t been downstairs in a week. Smell around. It’s like he’s already gone. He’s dying Derek and there’s nothing we can do. He’s just an empty shell of what he was. It’s bad Derek. Really bad.”

Derek nodded. “Well I’m here to help as much as I can.”

Scott nodded. “Can you stay with him during the day? We’re all starting to get worried that he might try and end it. And as most of us use him as our anchor, that would be bad.”

Derek nodded again. “I’m sorry I left Scott. I just – I couldn’t stay.”

Scott gave him a sad smile. “I know. I’m not mad. Lydia might be but one day when you tell her why you left, she’ll forgive you.”

Derek gave him a small smile. “Can I see him?”

Scott nodded. “Just uh, don’t say anything to upset him. He’s having an okay day but he’s hurting.”

Derek nodded, starting to feel like a bobble head, and followed Scott upstairs.

“Stiles.” Scott said softly. “Someone’s here to see you.”

Stiles answered with a growl they all knew meant he didn’t want visitors.

“You’ve gotten better at that.” Derek said fondly. “Still not very wolfy though.”

Stiles rolled over sharply and glared at him. He raised his arm and pointed at the door.

Scott gave Derek a sad look and Derek shrugged. “I deserve it but can I say one thing first?”

Stiles gave him an appraising look and then nodded slowly.

“Just wanted to say sorry about what I did. About the uh promise I broke. And I hope that one day you’ll forgive me and give me another chance but I understand if you don’t want to.” He glanced at the others nervously and then went back downstairs.

Scott looked at Stiles who just glared after Derek and then rolled back over. He looked at the others and saw they were just as confused as him.

 

***

 

Derek walked into Stiles’s room shortly after the Sheriff left for work.

“Hey Stiles.” He whispered. “Is it alright if I stay in here with you?”

Stiles looked at him and then rolled onto his stomach.

Derek took that as a yes and walked over to the chair. He sat down and looked at Stiles. He was in a huge sweatshirt that swamped him but Derek could tell how thin he was. Stiles turned his head and looked back at him. He brought his hand up from in the blankets and Derek’s heart ached at the sight of the hands he loved so much. They were thin and frail looking. The hands of a sick person, not the hands of a researcher. They were not the hands of a boy who ran with wolves. He made a talking motion with his hand, looking at Derek hopefully.

“You want me to talk?” Derek asked.

He nodded slightly.

“About why I left?”

Stiles shrugged and made a motion Derek assumed meant whatever. So he talked about why he left.

“You weren’t the reason I left. If that’s what’s worrying you. Cora called me and needed me to help her. She’s my family so even though I didn’t want to leave I to. And I didn’t to leave. I wanted to stay here and make sure you were okay. But she needed me so I left. I left quickly because the sooner I got to her the sooner I could come back here. Come back to you.” Derek had avoided looking at Stiles until then.

He watching him carefully without expression on his face. He raised an eyebrow slightly and waited.

“I wasn’t aware at the time of just how deep my emotions for you were but I know now. I fell in love with you a long time ago in a high school pool but I refused to admit it back then. Then the Alpha Pack came and Jennifer was there and I thought maybe I could figure out what was wrong. But she wasn’t you. She couldn’t help me. I left with Cora to figure things out when I realized that I was in love with you I came back. To find you possessed by that demon fox. I wouldn’t let anyone kill you because I couldn’t lose you. Then I had to leave again to help Cora but I’m not leaving again. Not ever again. I’m sorry that I left but I’m here now. I’m sorry.”

Stiles didn’t say anything, just turned his head away again.

Derek sighed silently, praying that he hadn’t just fucked everything up.

 

***

“Dude you’re an idiot.” Derek said, coming into Stiles’s room. It had been almost a week since Derek came back and he was still on a mission to make Stiles smile. He hadn’t smiled around them for almost a month and Derek was determined to change that. “Like seriously I know you’re down and all but you haven’t even bought the latest Marvel movie.”

Stile rolled over and glared at him.

Derek smiled back and held it up. “Don’t worry I got it.”

Stiles didn’t respond other than softening his glare.

Derek took that as acceptance and put the DVD on and sitting in the chair by the bed. He waited until the movie was in the thick of the plot before looking at Stiles. He stared, his eyes widening. Stiles was smiling. It wasn’t big or open but there was a definite upward curl of his lips. Derek tore his gaze away and looked at the movie again but now he couldn’t pay attention. All he could think about was the small smile on Stiles’s face. He was smiling because of something Derek did. His heart soared at the thought that maybe, just maybe Stiles was healing.

 

***

 

Derek was sitting next to Stiles’s bed as he had for two weeks, talking about his family now, when he heard it. Stiles’s voice.

“I’d have loved to meet them.” He whispered.

Derek froze for a moment before smiling. “You and Laura would’ve made my life hell together. You two would’ve never stopped pranking me.”

Stiles smiled and rolled on to his side to watch Derek closer. He made a continue motion and Derek nodded.

“Laura was the second oldest. Just a couple years younger than my older brother Daniel and a couple years older than me. And she was demonic. I loved her to death don’t get me wrong but she made everything difficult. She was a lot like Lydia is for you. Making sure I looked good even when I didn’t care and just generally giving me shit. In New York she would dress me and take me clubbing, trying to get me to lighten up. I respected her for it but I didn’t want to lighten up. I felt I’d killed my family and didn’t deserve anyone. Sometimes I still feel that way. But she was perfectly understanding and helped me through. We helped each other get through it. When she died it was like losing my family all over again. I fell into a hole and I kept digging it deeper. Till I came home and you and Scott wormed your ways into my life and made me stop digging. Now I’m climbing back to the surface and while I’m still not there I knew I have the pack filling in the hole behind me. I know I won’t fall again.”

Stiles smiled slightly and blinked at Derek.

Derek smiled back, knowing that smile was there because of him. “The pack will be here soon. I won’t tell them if you don’t want me to.”

Stiles shook his head.

Derek nodded. “Alright. Secret’s safe with me.”

 

***

 

“I knew she was going to try something but I never thought it’d be that.” Derek said, lounging in the chair. “So you know, age 14, taking my first run fully shifted, and I ran into your father, butt ass naked, because my sister led me astray and into the road where I _had_ to shift or risk getting seen as a wolf. That was the single most embarrassing thing I have ever had to go through. He called my mom who I could hear _laughing_ on the other end of the phone. She brought me clothes and explained it away as a family thing but god it was awful.”

And Stiles laughed. It wasn’t loud and boisterous like it used to be but instead a small little chuckle that Derek almost mistook as choking before he saw the smile on Stiles’s face. It still wasn’t a grin, but he was working on it. Three weeks in and so far all Stiles would do consistently is smile when it was just the two of them and eat when he asked at noon. He was already putting weight back on and starting to look a little healthier. Derek knew it wasn’t just him. He knew it had to do with Stiles _wanting_ to be better now, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little smug that he had these little secrets with Stiles.

Stiles looked a little terrified at the laugh but Derek smiled.

“Secret’s safe with me.” He said. “I promise.”

Stiles gave him a small smile and Derek’s heart soared. Maybe he is getting better. Maybe he’s coming back.

 

***

 

The first time Stiles reached for him Derek was sitting in the chair, talking about his mother and her cooking.

Stiles grunted and Derek was instantly silent. Stiles didn’t interrupt unless he wanted something. He looked at him patiently waiting and Stiles gave him one of his smiles. The ones he still only had around Derek, even almost a month after he came back. Stiles pushed the blanket down and pulled his arm out, reaching for Derek.

Derek gave him a confused look. “Stiles you have to tell me what you want before I can give it to you.”

Stiles formed his hand into a fist with his first finger out, pointing at Derek. Then he flattened his hand again.

“Me?” Derek asked.

Stiles nodded.

Derek cautiously reached out and put his hand in Stiles’s. Stiles smiled slightly and closed his hand around it. He was still weak so Derek held his hand gently, but his heart was pounding at the contact. Stiles was beginning to trust him again and reach out.

Stiles gave him a curious look and Derek smiled. “Secret’s safe with me.”

Stiles nodded slightly and closed his eyes, slipping back into the almost constant sleep he was in as his body tried to conserve what little energy it could get from his one meager meal a day at noon so it could keep him alive but he was getting better. He’d even finally finished the Marvel movie last week, having fallen asleep before the ending every other time. He was getting better.

 

***

 

Stiles smiled in front of the pack for the first time in almost two months, a week after he chuckled, when Derek told him about how worried everyone else was. They all walked in to see the two of them in their usual spots, Stiles on the edge of the bed closest to Derek and Derek in the chair next to the bed. He’d shifted towards the edge after pushing Scott and Isaac to the other side of him. Derek’s excuse? Stiles wanted to see everyone and make sure they were okay. But today when they walked in Stiles opened his eyes and gave them a soft smile.

Derek heard every heart stutter at the sight of that soft smile. One by one the pack walked over and hugged Stiles, so happy to see his smile. They sat down in their normal spots, Ethan and Danny having moved to the bed so Derek could have the chair, and grinned at each other and Stiles.

“How are you feeling?” Scott asked.

Stiles grunted.

“Have you eaten?” Isaac asked.

Stiles gave a positive grunt, glancing at Derek.

“He ate a few curly fries and had his water.” Derek said.

Stiles gave another soft smile.

“It’s good to know you’re feeling better.” Scott said, touching his friend’s shoulder.

Stiles glanced at Derek again, who nodded minutely, and then Stiles slid down the bed and closed his eyes, slipping almost immediately into sleep.

Scott looked at Derek. “What was that?”

Derek just gave him a small smile and stood up. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

Scott looked at the others.

“Don’t question it Scott.” Lydia advised. “It’s working. He smiled. Let it be.”

Scott sighed and looked at his friend. He nodded. “Alright. I’ll leave it.”

 

***

 

Stiles got out of bed after two months. He’d done the same thing as when he wanted Derek’s hand. He pulled his arm out of the blankets and pointed at Derek. Then he just pointed at himself and then the floor.

“You want to get up?”

Stiles nodded and then moved his fingers like walking as he lowered them.

“You want to go downstairs?”

Stiles nodded.

“They’ll smell it.” He warned. “They’ll know.”

Stiles gave him puppy dog eyes and Derek sighed.

“Alright. I’ll think of something.”

Stiles smiled and reached out his hands.

Derek smiled and helped him up and onto the floor. Stiles was capable of walking but he gets weak quickly still so Derek hovered behind him as Stiles walked out and down the hall. He stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to Derek, looking uncertain.

Derek smiled and stepped up. He held his arm to support him and helped him downstairs. As soon as they reached the ground floor Derek let go and stepped back again. Stiles smiled at him and did the sign language for thank you. Derek nodded and stayed right behind him as he went in to the kitchen. He hovered nearby as Stiles wandered around the kitchen, looking for things his dad isn’t allowed to have in the house and then he turned to Derek. Derek could see that he was already getting really weak and wouldn’t be able to make it back up the stairs. He stepped forward and caught him easily as his legs gave out. He picked him up bridal style and smiled down at him. “You’re an idiot.” He said. “You aren’t strong enough for this yet.”

Stiles just whacked his chest and pointed up.

“Yea yea I’m going.” Derek said, chuckling as he carried Stiles back upstairs. “And don’t worry. Secret’s safe with me.”

Stiles gave him a small smile as he slipped back to sleep.

Derek was grinning as he carried Stiles back upstairs. Stiles was starting to trust him again. He trusted him enough to let him carry him up to his room without hurting him. Stiles was getting better.

 

***

 

Stiles laughed, really truly laughed, for the first time three months after Derek started talking to him. Derek was telling him about the time he’d gone for a run in the woods and stumbled across his parents ‘doing it’ in the forest. They hadn’t thought anyone would be running that late and didn’t want to do it in the house so Derek got to be emotionally scarred forever. As he talked he saw Stiles smile and grinning and as he got to the most embarrassing part Stiles full out laughed. Both of them froze and Stiles burrowed into his covers, embarrassed.

Derek just laughed and put his hand on the bulge where he knew Stiles’s head was and whispered. “Secret’s safe with me.”

Stiles poked his head back out, dislodging Derek’s hand down to his back, and smiled at him. He jerked his head like he was beckoning Derek.

Derek’s face screwed up in confusion. “What do you want Stiles?”

Stiles sighed silently and pulled his arm out to grab Derek’s hand and pull.

“You want me to sit with you?”

Stiles nodded.

Derek smiled and sat on the bed, leaning on the headboard. “Better?” He asked.

Stiles nodded and then put Derek’s hand back on his shoulder before curling up, back to Derek, and going to sleep.

“Secret’s safe with me.” Derek said again. His heart was miles high knowing Stiles had willingly reached out to him.

 

***

 

Stiles spoke again a week later. He hadn’t talked since he said he’d have loved to meet Derek’s family and his voice surprised Derek. Derek had gotten up to go get Stiles’s food and water for his meal and Stiles had smiled at him when he walked in. He was gaining strength, making Derek get him out of bed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They never went downstairs, instead Stiles just walked around his room until he was tired and then slept for a bit. But when Derek walked in and saw Stiles sitting against the head board, grinning, he was a bit surprised.

“Hey Stiles.” He said. “Did you want to get up?”

Stiles shook his head and reached for the food. He’d upped to two sandwiches and his water, which he was still required to drink.

Derek handed him the food and sat in his new usual spot, on the bed next to Stiles. “How are you feeling?” He asked.

Stiles smiled and spoke. “I’m doing better.” His voice was hoarse from not being used but Derek’s heart skipped a beat nonetheless. It was amazing both to hear his voice and _know_ that he was getting better.

“I’m glad.” He smiled.

Stiles nodded. “I want to get better.” He declared. “I want to okay again.”

Derek smiled softly, ecstatic to hear that and his voice in general, and put an arm around him to give him a one armed hug. “Stiles we’re with you every step of the way. I know I am. And the others are to.”

He nodded. “I need to let them in.”

Derek shrugged. “Your pace Stiles. I’ll keep the secrets forever if you ask.”

Stiles nodded. “I don’t want them to know how long I’ve been lying.”

Derek nodded. “Alright. So how about you grinned today at something stupid I said? And maybe in a week you can laugh or talk?”

Stiles nodded. “Laugh next week. Talk after that. Not ready to talk yet.”

Derek nodded. “And your secrets are safe with me.”

Stiles smiled, knowing that Derek meant it.

 

When the pack walked in that day it was to see Derek in his chair and Stiles awake on the bed, sitting up, grinning at them. He waved slightly and they walked over cautiously. They all gave him a hug, something that had started at Derek’s suggestion after Stiles smiled for them, and took their spots.

“You seem happy.” Scott observed.

Stiles nodded a bit and then shrugged.

“He’s been like this for a bit.” Derek said. “He even took a nap earlier today so he’d be awake when you guys got here.”

Stiles nodded and pointed at Derek and then made a downstairs motion followed by drawing a question mark in the air.

“Yea I do have to go.” Derek said, understanding Stiles’s movements. He stood up. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Derek can I talk to you quick?” Scott asked, extracting himself from the bed.

“Sure.” Derek shrugged.

Scott and him went downstairs. Derek turned to look at him at the doors.

“I don’t know what you’re doing to him, but you better not leave now.”

“I’m not going to Scott.” Derek assured.

“You can’t.” Scott said, his voice cracking a bit. “He’s getting better because you’re here. I don’t know why and frankly right now I couldn’t care less. He’s this way because I wasn’t there to protect him from that _thing_ but he’s getting better. He hasn’t been this happy in such a long time I’d forgotten what his happiness smells like. So thank you. For bringing this back to us.”

Derek shook his head. “It’s not me Scott. It’s him. He _wants_ to get better, so he is. It’s got nothing to do with me.”

Scott rolled his eyes. “Just take the compliment Derek. From all of us. Thank you for making him better.”

Derek sighed but nodded. "Fine. But I'm not happy about it."

"Now I have a question."

"What?"

"What was the promise you broke. You mentioned it the first day and he seemed sad afterwards. What was it?"

Derek gave a sad smile. "I promised him I wouldn't leave again. And then I did."

Scott nodded slowly, understanding.

“Look I have to go. Don’t let him push himself to hard by trying to stay awake.”

Scott nodded and Derek left, still ecstatic that Stiles was _talking_ to him again.

 

***

 

A week later Stiles was laughing when the pack came within hearing distance of the house. They could hear Derek laughing too but they all raced to the house at the sound of Stiles’s laugh.

They burst into the room to find Stiles laughing in the bed and Derek in the chair.

“Stiles!” Scott and Isaac exclaimed.

Stiles gave them a smile and pointed at Derek.

They looked at him and he shrugged. “He’s been having a good day.”

Stiles smiled and pointed at the plate.

“And he ate three sandwiches for lunch with his water.”

Stiles nodded happily.

Everyone gaped at the two of them.

They both just grinned back. Stiles because he felt alright and Derek because he was ecstatic that Stiles felt alright.

 

***

 

“You’re doing amazing Stiles.” Derek said, watching Stiles walk around the room.

Stiles looked at him and smiled. “I feel better.” His voice was still hoarse but it was getting better.

“Do you want to try going back downstairs again?”

Stiles nodded. “Can we now?”

Derek nodded and got up. He followed protectively behind Stiles as they slowly made their way down to the kitchen.

“Can I be down here when they get here?” Stiles whispered, knowing Derek would still hear him fine.

Derek smiled. “Do you want to be? We’re doing this at your pace Stiles.”

Stiles turned to look at him wearily. “Derek I want your opinion.”

“I think you should give them some time to adjust to the happiness you gave off yesterday.”

Stiles nodded. “Okay. Help me back upstairs then?”

Derek nodded and immediately moved forward to help him. He was grinning as he did so.

Stiles noticed and poked his cheeks. He drew a Y in the air and Derek chuckled. He still didn’t talk unless he needed to.

“I’m just happy you’re getting better.” Derek muttered. “I was worried about you.”

Stiles gave him a soft smile and made an ok with his fingers.

Derek rolled his eyes but couldn’t be annoyed with him. He hadn’t been annoyed with Stiles in a long time, not that he’d admit it. He knew there was no backing out. He knew he’d got himself in for the long haul and he didn’t care in the slightest.

 

***

 

A week later Stiles made Derek help him downstairs for his afternoon nap so he could be down there when the pack showed up. He was tired of his room and wanted something different. He made Derek sit by the arm and laid down with his feet in his lap. He gave Derek a sleepy smile and kicked his arm.

“What Stiles?” Derek asked gently, looking away from his book. He was reading the Game of Thrones series, on Stiles’s orders, and with Stiles sleeping a lot he was pretty far.

“Don’t leave.” He whispered.

Derek smiled. “I have to leave Stiles. When they get here it’s my time to leave. You know that.”

“Stupid.” Stiles decided, slipping into sleep.

Derek didn’t give a response because he couldn’t think of one. He was too busy having a realization. He was in love with Stiles. That little sleepy smile had made him realize that he wanted to see that as the first thing he sees in the morning and last thing he sees before going to sleep. He’d known he cared about Stiles but he’d assumed it was pack feelings left over from when he was Alpha mixed with the caring the rest of the pack was giving off. But no, he was in love. With Stiles.

 

***

 

After Derek’s realization nothing changed. He watched Stiles every day while the pack was at school during the week and then while they all work on the weekends. He made Stiles eat and watched him walk around the room or down stairs, which was becoming more common. The pack could tell he was getting stronger, he was even walking for them one day, but he still didn’t talk around them. He was happier and smiling more around them, still not as much as around just Derek, but he was getting better to them to. They both thought everything was fine until Scott asked to talk to Derek again, this time outside as Stiles was downstairs.

“What’s wrong Scott?” Derek asked, feeling his worry.

“He’s better, right? It’s not just me?”

Derek smiled. “He’s better.”

“Then why won’t he talk?”

Derek shrugged, faking easily. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to talk yet.”

“This is Stiles Derek. Stiles. The non-stop talker. What if he’s not talking because he _can’t_?”

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Derek assured. “He’s just healing.”

Scott nodded. “I know that. But, well I’m worried that’s all.”

Derek nodded. “We all are Scott.”

Scott took a deep breath. “Alright. Well I won’t keep you.”

Derek gave a small smile and left, knowing he’d have to talk to Stiles the next day. He knows Stiles isn’t trying to worry them, he’s just taking his time to heal, but he might want to know about this.

 

***

 

He was right. Stiles started feeling extremely guilty about not telling them about his progress as it was happening. So he was pacing. And making Derek very worried.

“Stiles stop.” Derek said, reaching towards him. “You did what you wanted. They won’t blame you.”

He spun around, swaying slightly. “Derek I’m hurting them.”

Derek stood and walked over. He put his hands on Stiles’s shoulders and smiled at him. “Stiles they will not care. You are getting better and that is all they want. If you not telling them was what it took then they’d accept that. It’s okay.”

Stiles nodded and looked at Derek, tears in his eyes. “I just-”

Derek nodded. “I know. But it’s alright.”

Stiles seemed to hesitate before leaning in and hugging Derek.

Derek smiled and hugged him back. He hoped Stiles couldn’t hear his heart beating hard in his chest but he could hear Stiles’s. He’d over exerted himself again. Derek rubbed his back soothingly, letting his packmate take comfort in pack for as long as he needed.

Stiles pulled back and smiled at Derek, who smiled back, and then, four and a half months since Derek came home, Stiles leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Derek’s lips.

Derek froze and Stiles froze before he shot away and dove under the covers. “I’m sorry.” Derek heard. “Oh my god I’m so sorry please don’t hate me please don’t leave oh my god please don’t leave I can’t I couldn’t god Derek I’m so sorry.” He dissolved into tears, still muttering about how sorry he was before Derek managed to reboot himself.

Derek grinned huge, reveling in the feeling of Stiles’s lips as he walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. “Stiles?”

“No leave me alone to die in shame and embarrassment.” Stiles responded, still teary.

Derek reached out and tugged on the blankets. “I’m not letting you die Stiles. Come out here.”

“No. Never again.”

Derek sighed and pulled the blanket off him, revealing Stiles’s tear stained face and bed hair looked at him.

“Leave me alone.” Stiles said. “I don’t need to see you laugh at me.”

Derek smiled fondly. “I’m not going to laugh Stiles. But you never gave me a chance to do this.”

“Do wh-?” Stiles got out before Derek softly pressed his mouth to Stiles, leaning over uncomfortably. He pulled back quickly, before he lost control, and smiled down at Stiles.

“I’m glad you’re better.”

Stiles grinned up at him. “Wait, how long?”

Derek moved up the bed so he was against the headboard and shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean I realized it a couple weeks ago when you were first downstairs when the pack got here and you gave me that little sleepy smile of yours. I realized I wanted to see that first thing in the morning and the last thing I see before I fall asleep. I think it’s been there for a very long time but I never realized it before.”

Stiles smiled and moved so his head was in Derek’s lap. “I started having a crush on you in the pool with the kanima. But I fell in love when I saw how broken you were after Erica and Boyd and the Darach all happened. I saw the real you, the you under that grumpy shell, and I fell for him. You’ve been helping me get better and I fell for you all over again. I was holding back so I didn’t drive you away again. I just got sick of it.”

Derek smiled. “Well I’m glad you did. I was holding back so I didn’t push you into something you didn’t want.”

Stiles smiled up at him. “Guess it’s all good then, right?”

Derek nodded. “We should tell the pack you’re talking again. Then in a couple of months, when you’re even better and going outside, I’ll take you on a date.”

Stiles grinned. “I’d like that.”

“We’ll even get curly fries.”

Stiles chuckled. “Knew there was a reason I loved you.”

Derek rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through Stiles’s hair. “Good. I thought it was just my body you wanted.”

“Partly. I mean it’s a nice body. But I can’t do much yet so this is perfect. Someday though.”

Derek nodded. “Someday. Not anytime soon.”

 

***

 

A day after they kissed, Stiles talked to the pack. They walked in and he greeted them with a hoarse hello. They’d flipped. Scott had tackled him, gently of course, and Lydia was crying. They all hugged Stiles and then they all hugged Derek and then they hugged each other. Stiles and the pack made Derek stay that night, so his Dad could get his hug. The Sheriff was crying as he hugged Derek, quietly thanking him for helping his son. Derek had just nodded into his shoulder, not hugging back.

“Derek this is when you hug back.” Stiles called.

Derek smiled but listened to Stiles and hugged the Sheriff. After that it was short and then the Sheriff pulled away to go back to his son.

“Are you eating yet?” He asked his son.

“He had a full meal at lunch and I was planning on making him another for dinner.” Derek answered for him. “He wants to try.”

Stiles nodded. “Need to get stronger. Wanna go outside.”

Sheriff smiled. “The school said if you can pass your finals you can go straight to senior year next year instead of repeating junior year.”

Stiles grinned and looked at Lydia. “Notes?”

“Got them ready when you want them.” She answered, smiling. Her makeup had run a little from the tears at hearing Stiles speak.

Stiles thought for a second. “Tomorrow?” Everyone could tell it was more of a question for Derek than Lydia.

“I’ll help you study.” Derek said.

“I’ll drop them off on my way to school tomorrow morning.” Lydia promised.

Stiles grinned. “I’m gonna be a senior.” He declared.

Derek and everyone else’s hearts soared. He was coming back to them.

 

***

 

A month later when the pack came over, Derek and Stiles were in the living room again, but this time it was different. Derek was sitting by the arm, turned sideways and leaning against it while Stiles was in between his legs. They had Lord of the Rings on because Stiles found out Derek hadn’t seen them in years and demanded them on. He had Lydia’s notes on his lap but couldn’t concentrate because one: Lord of the Rings, and two: Derek kept nuzzling his neck.

“Stop it!” Stiles whined as the pack walked in. He flashed them a grin and then twisted to glare at Derek. “Stop it Sour.”

The pack was frozen, shocked at the sight.

“Stiles.” Scott said.

“Scott.” Stiles imitated.

“What’s going on?”

Stiles glanced at Derek and shrugged. “Turns out he’s a great heater.”

Derek rolled his eyes but wrapped his arms around Stiles as he knew he wanted.

“Are you two together?” Lydia demanded.

Stiles looked at Derek then they both looked at her. “Yea.” They answered.

“Good.” She said. “It’s about time. Now, Stiles, how far have you gotten?” She joined them, sitting on the floor by Stiles, while the rest of the pack just stared.

“Hallelujah praise the lord.” Danny said, pulling Ethan over to a chair. “I was beginning to think my gaydar was off.”

Stiles laughed.

Everyone relaxed at the sound. They hadn’t heard it in so long everything just seemed right when he was laughing.

“Hurt him and I’ll kill you.” Scott declared, walking in and sitting on the other couch.

“He won’t hurt me.” Stiles said. “He knows better than that.”

Derek squeezed him. “No.” He whispered. “Just care too much to let you go.”

Stiles smiled and the rest of the pack was still in a bit of shock. Especially after hearing Derek say that.

“Well this is not what I expected to come home to.” The Sheriff said from the door.

Stiles turned and looked at his dad. “Dad meet Derek, my boyfriend.”

“We’ve been introduced.” He said. “And thank you again Derek.”

Derek gave him a smile.

Stiles looked at Derek, confused.

“I told him.” Derek admitted. “Didn’t feel right till I did.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “You’re such an ass for not even telling me that.”

“I did tell you Stiles.” Derek said. “You weren’t listening apparently.”

“I only listen to important things.”

“Stop.” Lydia snapped. “Both of you are being to grossly adorable for a pack meeting so shut up.”

“It’s a pack meeting?” Stiles asked, looking at Scott.

“I don’t argue with Lydia.” Scott said. “I’m an alpha not an idiot.”

 

***

 

A year after Derek came back he asked Stiles to marry him. He’d asked the Sheriff’s permission and it was made perfectly clear that it was going to be after he turned twenty and was in college but Derek just wanted to know he wasn’t going to lose him again. So he went to the Stilinski house, just like he did every afternoon until the Sheriff came home from work, then he ate dinner with them and left. And the Sheriff pretended not to know that he snuck back in two hours later and stayed the night. Every night. He knew they needed each other and Stiles still had awful nightmares without Derek there. Derek was wearing jeans and his green Henley with his new leather jacket, the old one having been stolen by Stiles. He knocked on the door and Stiles opened it instantly, like he’d been waiting on the other side (which he totally hadn’t been).

“Let’s go!” He said happily. He’d recovered almost fully from the nogitsune’s torture, now only feeling the effects on the new moon, when the sky was dark.

Derek smiled and nodded to the Sheriff, who gave him a wave and muttered good luck under his breath, knowing Derek would still hear it. Derek just smiled and shut the door, following Stiles to the Camaro. They went to the diner in town with amazing curly fries and milkshakes to eat and afterwards Derek made eye contact with the waitress, who nodded and brought out the cupcakes Derek had dropped off earlier. Stiles’s eyes lit up at the sight of the cupcakes but then his face scrunched up in confusion. Frosted on the cupcakes was a symbol. Two large circles with smaller dots inside them connected by one simple line.

“Come on.” Derek said, leaving money on the table. “We’ll eat them in the park.”

Stiles nodded and grabbed his, Derek grabbing his own, and they left the diner to walk into the park across the street. Derek led them to a bench and they sat down together.”

“It’s traditional in my family to give something with that symbol on it to your mate but usually they know what is so I’ll explain. Each big circle is us and the smaller ones are out families. They’re connected because we are. Stiles I love you with everything I have and you saved me from myself just as much as I saved you. You wormed your way under that grumpy shell I had and broke it to bits.” Derek shifted off the bench and on to one knee as Stiles started to realize what was happening. “I’m the luckiest man in the world with you at my side and would be honored if you’d marry me. Not now of course but once your twenty. Sheriff’s rule.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “You seriously asked my dad for my hand?”

Derek shrugged. “I’m traditional.”

Stiles laughed but nodded. “Yes Derek. I’d absolutely love to marry you.” He set his cupcake down and grabbed Derek by the collar, hauling him in for a kiss. They kissed passionately for a moment before Stiles pulled away, laughing. “God we’re a pair. And people are staring.”

Derek shrugged. “I love you. And I don’t care.”

“Yea I’m beginning to gather that. Now come here so I can kiss you again before eating this amazing cupcake.”

Derek laughed but leaned in to kiss him again. The two of them started out broken and tired of life, but together they put each other back together. They swapped parts sometimes but that just made them closer and in the end they were whole again, with a piece of each other inside them. Just like it should be.


End file.
